Napkin fastening means



Se t. 8, 1959 B. G. WALTERS 7 2,902,734

NAPKIN FASTENING MEANS Filed Aug. 6, 1957 g PULL BRUCE G. WALTERS;

INVENTOR.

HERZ/G 8 JESSUP,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent NAPKIN FASTENING MEANS Bruce G. Walters, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 6, 1957, Serial No. 676,521

4 Claims. (Cl. 24-7) This invention relates to a napkin fastening means and more particularly to an improved adhesive-faced tab which may be permanently or otherwise fixed to a paper napkin or the like to releasably fasten the napkin to a garment or the like.

Users of paper napkins or the like often find it difficult to retain the napkin in the lap during use. Children, in particular, encounter such difiiculty, and in such instances, it is preferable to retain the napkin in a bib-like fashion to prevent soiling of the childs clothes by cereals, soups or other foods.

Paper napkins, in particular, are not capable of being tied around the neck of a child, and pins are undesirable as fastening means because of the danger offered by the sharp point to the user as well as the fragile nature of such napkins. Mechanical fastening means of this type usually also leave objectionable holes in the garment.

It is more advantageously desirable and therefore an object of this invention to provide new and improved unitary fastening means incorporated into the napkin, or attachable thereto, which is instantly available to the user of the napkin for quick and easy fastening of the napkin as to a portion of the users garment.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved fastening means of the character described which can be quickly and easily detached from the aforementioned garment without leaving holes or other marks in the garment.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved fastening means which provides an effective adhesive surface, for adherence to a garment or other desired object, available for instant use, said surface being covered as by a tab formed integrally thereof when not in use to avoid adhesion between layers of the napkin itself -as in its normally folded state, and which is additionally provided with a holding non-adhesive surface 'to permits ready removal from such surfaces, or from itavoid adhesion of the fastener as to a finger while it is,

being uncovered, as well as to prevent tearing of the napkin when the tab is unfolded, said tab further including a folded-under non-adhesive portion preferably overlapping the non-adhesive holding portion to form a discrete upturned end, to facilitate gripping of the tab for such unfolding or uncovering.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a fastener as disclosed in one of its embodiments which may be removably attached to a cloth-type napkin for use or discard after use.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved fastening means for a napkin which overcomes disadvantages of prior methods and devices for accomplishing generally the same purpose.

These and other objects of this invention will be more readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the drawings and appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view in elevation of a preferred l atented Sept. 8, 1959 ice ' adhesive surface;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figure 3, showing the tab of the fastening means in a normally fiat unused state;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figure 3, showing the tab extended into position to expose the adhesive surface for use;

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a method of exposing the adhesive surface for use; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a second embodiment of the fastening means in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustration, but not of limitation, a napkin generally indicated by the numeral 10 including a pair of fasteners 11 positioned as adjacent opposed corners 12 of the napkin.

'Ihe fasteners 11 comprise an elongated strip 13 of relatively thin pliable material such as paper, cloth, plastics, or the like provided with an adhesive substance 14 on the outer surface thereof. The adhesive 14 is preferably of the type that readily adheres to surfaces such as fabric, leather, or even human skin, yet which self when folded over as will be described, without leaving any marks or sticky particles on the surfaces.

The fastener 11 preferably includes an intermediate mounting portion 16, a lower holding portion 17 and an upper pulling tab portion 18. The holding portion 17 is preferably formed by folding the lower end of the strip 13 back on itself as along a transverse fold line 19 with the adhesive surface on the inside of the fold to hold the end in position thus forming a non-adhesive outer surface at the area of the holding portion. The tab portion 18 is similarly formed by folding the upper end of the strip 13 back on itself as along a transverse fold line 21 with the adhesive surface in the inside of the fold, forming a non-adhesive outer surface at the area of the tab portion. The resulting intermediate area 16 includes an outer exposed adhesive surface which is available for adherence to the desired object, as will be described.

The fastener 11 is permanently or otherwise secured to the napkin 10 as adjacent a corner 12 of the napkin. A pair of fasteners 11 are preferably provided on a napkin 10, and may be positioned as along the outer edges of opposed corners or spaced inwardly, as desired. How ever, if preferred, a single fastener may be provided for a napkin by positioning the fastener diagonally relative to a corner as indicated in Figure 7, or centrally positioned relative to the napkin as indicated in phantom lines 11' of Figure 1. The fastener is preferably positioned on the napkin with an inner surface, or a portion thereof, against the napkin and is secured thereto by an adhesive, or if desired, by glue, cement or even by stapling or the like.

The exposed outer adhesive surface of the strip 13 is preferably covered when not in use, to prevent adherence of the strip to the napkin itself when in a folded unused state. For this purpose, the strip is preferably positioned on the napkin with approximately half of its length secured to the napkin, as the lower half, and with its upper portion extending beyond the napkin. The upper portion may then be folded as at a transverse fold line 22 midway of the strip to overlie the lower portion, with the adhesive surface of the intermediate portion 16 on the inner side of the fold.

.the cor-responding forefinger. pulled by the hand 23 until the strip 13 is unfolded to As best seen in Figure 4, in this folded position, the tab portion 18 overlies the holding portion 17, but does not adhere to it, because of the previously described folded or otherwise treated ends of non-adhesive outer surfaces.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be most clearly seen .that the adhesive surface of the fastener 11 may readily .be exposed for use, by first separating the tab 18 from the holding portion as by a thumb and forefinger of one hand 23 and gripping the holding portion by the thumb of the other hand 24 which is backed on the napkin by The tab 18 may then be expose the adhesive surface 14 for use. Simplified instructions are preferably printed on the fastener to facilitate its use, and for this purpose the word Pull may be printed on both sides of the tab 1% and the word .Hold be printed on the outer surface of the holding portion 17. Nothing is wasted or discarded and the .napkin is not strained or torn.

'I 'he napkin may then be placed in a desired position such as the lap of the user, with the exposed adhe- -sive surfaces 14 facing downwardly. To secure the nap- .kin in position, the strips 13 are pressed against the garments of the user. as a bib for a child, by placing it across the childs chest Similarly, a napkin may be used and/ or under his chin with the fasteners facing upwardly and outwardly to be secured to the garment or to themselves as behind the neck.

Another embodiment of this invention is illustrated in Figure 7 wherein the fastener 30 is constructed similarly to the fastener 11, including a strip 13' which is folded at its ends to form a tab portion 18' and a holding portion 17, and including an outer adhesive surface like 14.

When not in use, the instant fastener is likewise adapted to be folded as at the midway transverse fold line 22 .14, to which a removable strip or film 32 is applied when the fastener is not in use and removed for such application. embodiment, can be temporarily secured by pressing the A fastener in accordance with this latter surface 31 against a napkin such as cloth, or the like, which is not normally discarded after use. After use, the fastener may be removed from the napkin and discarded, or stored for reuse by replacing the film 32 on i the surface 31.

While I have herein shown and described what I conceived to be the most desired embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that alterations and modifications thereof may be made in a manner to satisfy the spirit of my invention which is intended to comprehend any and all equivalent devices as comprehended in the following claims which are to be given the greatest breadth consistent with the prior art.

What I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fastener for napkins, or the like, comprising an elongated strip of thin pliable material having an adhesive coating on one surface thereof of a cohesive material, said strip including an intermediate portion and two ends, holding means including one end being folded back on itself, along a first fold line, tab means including the other end being folded back on itself, along a second fold line, first cover means including said strip being folded back on itself along a third fold line for enclosing the adhesive coating when not in use, an outer strip surface defined by said first and third fold lines and having a second adhesive coating of cohesive material and a second cover means for removably covering said second adhesive coating when not in use, said outer surface strip adapted to adhere to a napkin or the like when said second cover means is removed, and said adhesive coating of said one surface adapted to adhere to a garment, or the like, to support the napkin, when said first cover means is unfolded.

2. A napkin of paper or other material including fastening means comprising: an elongated strip of thin pliable material having an adhesive surface on an outer side thereof, an intermediate portion and two ends, said intermediate portion being folded back in itself with said adhesive surface being inside of the fold; means for fixing a portion of said intermediate portion to the napkin whereby the inner side of said strip is adjacent to said napkin; holding means for holding said napkin and said strip with one hand, said holding means including one of said ends being folded back on itself; and tab means for pulling said folds apart, said tab means including the other of said ends being folded back on itself.

3. A napkin of paper or other fragile material including a fastening means comprising a body of relatively thin pliable material having two ends and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion being fixed to the napkin, said body having an adhesive on the outer surface thereof, one of said ends extending upwardly to adhere to a garment or the like for releasably fastening the napkin to the garment, and adapted to be folded over -said intermediate portion when not in use, the other of -ance with claim 3 including a tab means comprising said one end being folded back on a portion of itself for separating said one end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Yerzley July 30, 1935 Godoy May 14, 1946 

